Mitsotakis for Athens College: I envision a College with a trust so strong that it will allow any student who cannot afford to pay tuition to have it covered by the trust (video)

The challenges of the next day, and not only the historic journey of the Athens College, were addressed by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, speaking on Monday afternoon (04.05.2026) at the event marking the 100th anniversary of the school’s founding.

The event was held at the packed Athens College Theatre, while, due to the large attendance, a giant screen was placed outside so that those who could not enter the hall could watch Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ speech.

A graduate of Athens College himself, the Prime Minister spoke in a personal tone about his years of study, recalling his first experiences at the school. “Like many of you, I look back on my childhood memories. From third grade on this campus to fifth grade when we opened the Kanja school. This is where I made my first speeches to the student body from,” he said.

However, Kyriakos Mitsotakis looked to the future. “I would ask all of us not to turn today’s celebration into a day of nostalgia for the glorious past, but into a day of new goals for the next 100 years,” he stressed, citing the phrase “αι innovμιαι” from a speech by Eleftherios Venizelos on the Athens College.

The Prime Minister outlined four key challenges for the school. First, he said, is artificial intelligence and its impact on education. “It is inconceivable that the College should not be at the forefront of this debate,” he said.

He described the composition of the student body and whether the College continues to offer opportunities to children based on their abilities as a second challenge. In the same context, he made strengthening the school’s financial capacity a third priority, talking about the need to create a strong trust fund so that students who are admitted merit-based can cover tuition.

A fourth challenge he highlighted was inclusion and mental health of students. “We may have done relatively well in life and have wonderful memories of college, but let’s not forget that some graduated with unpleasant memories,” he said. “Mental health should be a priority for the next 100 years, or the next 10 years, since we will not be here in the 200 years since the founding of the College,” he said.

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